Sports glasses with lens adapter for semi-rimless construction

ABSTRACT

A sports glasses construction includes an eyeglass frame for semi-rimless lenses having a pair of receivers for receiving a first pair of selectively removable lenses or lens adapter frames. A pair of lens adapter frames has respective upper connection members sized and shaped to couple to the respective pair of receivers in the eyeglass frame. The pair of lens adapters each has a lower portion sized and shaped to couple to a second respective pair of lenses while leaving the lower edges of the lenses exposed to provide a semi-rimless construction, and to permit the frame to adapt to lenses of differing geometry.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/322,803 filed Feb. 6, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/701,615 filed Feb. 2, 2007 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,510,279 issued Mar. 31, 2009).

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sports glasses are employed by many athletes in various sports activities. Typically, such sports glasses are of the “wraparound” variety, which provide lenses having a relatively small radius of curvature. Such lenses are called “Base 8” lenses and are frequently tinted or polarized. Sports, such as mountain biking, skiing, and other sports in which rapid motion is a factor, benefit greatly from wraparound sports glasses, which can reduce glare and provide protection from wind and dust. The more popular sports glasses are semi-rimless, which is more aesthetically pleasing and provides better visibility to the user. Semi-rimless sports lenses are typically affixed to a frame along their upper edges but have lower and side edges that are not enclosed by the frame. On conventional framed glasses, the lower portion of the frame blocks a portion of the user's field of view. Additionally, there is better ventilation for the eyes when there is no bottom rim, which would otherwise tend to act like a gasket or seal around the eyes.

The Base 8 curvature enables tinted lenses to extend around to the side of the wearer's eyes to provide greater protection from the elements than is attainable with stock prescription lenses, which are constructed according to a larger radius of curvature (known in the industry as “Base 6”).

Notwithstanding the advantages of wraparound lenses having Base 8curvature, many athletes would like to be able to incorporate prescription lenses into wraparound sports glasses frames. Such frames are sturdier and better suited to certain types of physical activity than conventional prescription glasses frames. Heretofore however, it has been difficult to incorporate prescription lenses into sports glasses designed for Base 8 curvature lenses because prescription lenses are made from stock Base 6 curvature lens blanks and these will not fit into sports glasses frames made for Base 8 curvature lenses.

Adapter rings have been proposed for conventional rimmed sports glasses, which will permit a prescription lens to be secured to a sports glasses frame. An example is shown in Fernandez (Publication No. US2006/0050227). Fernandez shows an adapter ring, which may be press-fitted into a sports glasses frame. The Fernandez design suffers from the problem that it is a rimmed frame and, additionally, the adapter ring provides another obstruction to the peripheral vision of the wearer and blocks ventilation as discussed above. Furthermore, the Fernandez design more closely resembles goggles, which from an aesthetic point of view, are less visually pleasing to many sports enthusiasts.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A sports glasses construction includes an eyeglass frame for semi-rimless lenses having a pair of channels for receiving a first pair of selectively removable lenses or lens adapter frames, and a pair of lens adapter frames having respective upper connection members sized and shaped to fit into the respective pair of channels in the eyeglass frame. The pair of lens adapters each has a lower portion sized and shaped to couple to a second respective pair of lenses leaving the lower edges of the lenses exposed to provide a semi-rimless construction.

The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of an exemplary semi-rimless sports glasses construction.

FIG. 2 is a front, partly exploded and partially cut away view of the exemplary sports glasses configuration of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cut-away view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the sports glasses construction of FIG. 1 including an adapter for using prescription lenses in the sports glasses frame of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front, partial cut-away, partially exploded, view of the sports glasses construction of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partial cut-away view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top view of an adapter for the sports glasses frame of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a partial front view of the adapter and lens shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a second embodiment of an adapter and lens combination for use in the sports glasses frame of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a partial cut-away front view of an adapter employing an eyewire for coupling a lens to the adapter.

FIG. 11 is a partial cut-away view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a third embodiment of an adapter and rimless lens combination.

FIG. 13 is a partial cut-away view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a partial cut-away view of a second embodiment of the adapter and lens shown in FIG. 12 using a grooved rimless lens.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A sports glasses construction 10 is shown in FIG. 1 and includes a frame 8 having a pair of articulated retainers 9 a and 9 b. As is conventional in such constructions, the frame 8 has a nosepiece 14 and the retainers 9 a and 9 b are curved to engage the ears of the user (not shown). The frame 8 is fitted with a pair of sports lenses 12 a and 12 b. Sports lenses, such as lenses 12 a and 12 b, are known as wraparound lenses and typically have a small radius of curvature, which is known in the industry as a “Base 8” curvature. Such lenses are typically non-prescription lenses and may be tinted so as to reduce glare under different types of lighting conditions.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lenses 12 a and 12 b are selectively replaceable in the frame 8. On each side of the frame 8, there is a channel 16 a, 16 b and the lenses 12 a and 12 b each have an upper edge 18 a, 18 b that cooperatively fits into the respective channels 16 a and 16 b. To help retain the lenses in the channels, the lenses have tabs 19 at each end that mate with correspondingly shaped portions of the channels 16 a and 16 b.

Referring to FIG. 4, the frame 8 is now fitted with lenses 13 a and 13 b having a larger radius of curvature, conventionally know as “Base 6” curvature. For example, prescription lenses, because of the requirements for thicknesses in certain prescriptions, are thicker than tinted sports lenses (such as the lenses 12 a and 12 b) and cannot easily be made with Base 8 curvature. To do so requires an expensive process that may make the cost of such lenses prohibitive.

The frame 8 is designed for a semi-rimless configuration, which means that the bottom edges and at least a portion of the side edges of the lenses 13 a and 13 b are exposed and not enclosed by a rim. In order to fit the lenses 13 a and 13 b into the frame 8, a pair of adapters 20 a and 20 b is provided. As shown best in FIGS. 5 and 6, the adapters 20 a, 20 b each have an upper portion comprising ribs 22 a and 22 b. These ribs are shaped and sized the same as the upper portions 18 a and 18 b of lenses 12 a and 12 b. Thus, the ribs 22 a and 22 b fit easily into the channels 16 a and 16 b of the frame 8. The lower portion of each of the adapters 20 a and 20 b is shown best in FIG. 6. Each of the lenses 13 a and 13 b fits into adapter channels, such as channel 24 b shown in FIG. 6. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, an eyewire arrangement (as shown best in FIG. 10) is used to secure the lenses 13 a and 13 b to the adapters 20 a and 20 b. In this embodiment, each of the lenses 13 a and 13 b have a peripheral groove 31 in the outer portion of the lens which is not supported by a rim. An eyewire 27 runs through the groove 31 and is secured to the adapter 20 a by a locking channel guide 29. Such locking channel guides are well known in the art and are a conventional way of connecting eyeglasses to spectacles frames using a nylon eyewire or the like. Additionally, with some types of guides, the channels (see channel 24 b) may not be necessary and the lenses 13 a, 13 b may bear directly against the underside of the adapters 20 a, 20 b.

An alternative method of construction is shown in FIGS. 9 and 11. In FIG. 9, the adapter 20 a has been modified to provide a pair of widened side portions 26. The side portions 26 provide enough inner surface area in this portion of the adapter to receive a pair of screws 25, which are inserted through apertures 30 in the lens 13 a. Inner surfaces of side portions 26 contain complimentary screw holes 21 having a spacing matched to the apertures 30. As shown best in FIG. 11, the front lower portion 23 of the adapter 20 a protrudes downwardly forming a rib with an inner lower surface 28. In this embodiment, the inner lower surface 28 of the adapter 20 a is curved to conform substantially to the radius of curvature of the lens 13 a. One advantage of this embodiment is to eliminate the need to provide a channel of the exact thickness of the lens because prescription lenses differ in thickness.

Yet another variation of a sports glasses construction is shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14. Referring to FIG. 12, an adapter 40 includes a pair of side arms 44 that flex to receive the lens 13 a securely within a channel 46 as shown in FIG. 13. In another variation of this construction, the lenses 13 a and 13 b (not shown) are grooved so as to receive a rib portion 48 protruding from the bottom of the adapter 40, which fits into a groove 45 in the periphery of the lens 13a.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 9-14, the adapter includes either a lower surface or a channel or a protruding rib whose radius of curvature substantially corresponds to that of the larger radius of curvature of the prescription lenses.

The precise manner of securing the lenses to the adapters is unimportant for purposes of the invention and a number of such securing methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In addition to the means of securing the rimless lenses to the adapters as shown herein, other mechanisms such as spring-loaded clamps, pegs or adhesives could be employed.

While the conventional designations for radius of curvature as used herein are the industry known standards (Base 8 and Base 6 curvatures), the disclosed sports glasses construction may be used for any lenses which have differing radii of curvature.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow. 

1. An eyeglass construction comprising in combination: (a) an eyeglass frame having a pair of receivers for receiving either lenses or lens adapter frames and for holding said lenses or said adapter frames securely in said eyeglass frame, and (b) a pair of said lens adapter frames, each said frame having, on an upper portion thereof, a protruding member adapted to couple into said respective receivers on said eyeglass frame, each adapter frame having a surface, along an inner portion thereof, configured to fit a curvature of a lens of a first lens pair and having an attachment mechanism for securing each respective lens in said first lens pair to each said adapter frame, each adapter frame engaging a portion of the periphery of each lens of said first lens pair to provide a semi-rimless construction.
 2. The combination of claim 1 further including a second pair of lenses shaped and sized to be coupled to said eyeglass frame.
 3. The sports glasses construction of claim 1 wherein said pair of lens adapters each includes a fastener for selectively removably fastening said first lens pair to said pair of lens adapters.
 4. The sports glasses construction of claim 3 wherein said fastener comprises a locking channel guide for receiving a tensioned wire or string wound about a lower periphery of each lens in said first lens pair.
 5. The sports glasses construction of claim 3 wherein said fastener comprises a screw-type attachment.
 6. The sports glasses construction of claim 3 wherein said fastener comprises a protruding rib on an inner surface of each one in said pair of lens adapters for frictionally engaging a groove in an outer peripheral surface in each one of said first lens pair. 